The invention relates to connecting members for the ends of two adjacent tubs of a scraper conveyor for mines in which each tub comprises two side members arranged symmetrically relative to the median vertical plane of the tub and having an inverted M or sigma-shaped cross-section or profile and a median horizontal plate connecting the two median portions of two side members, the connecting members being fixed either to one or other end of each side member and comprising either a male member having a transverse supporting partition and a projecting member which extends parallel to the side member beyond the end of the corresponding tub or a female member which defines a connecting cavity able to receive the projecting portion of the other connecting member and which comprises a transverse supporting position recessed to the end of the corresponding tub whose length is the same as that of the connecting cavity and greater than that of the projecting portion, whereby each of the connecting members also comprises a locating slot which extends parallel to the corresponding side member and which serves to receive a connecting rod provided with two terminal retaining flanges, whose shoulders can cooperate with one or other of the supporting partitions, as well as a lateral access opening extending parallel to the said locating slot and issuing laterally from the outside of the said side member and the corresponding connecting member into the said locating slot.
Connecting members of this type are known, for example from French Pat. No. 69 24797 (2,016,116). In this case, the connecting members are very bulky and due to their rectangular cross-section cannot be adapted to the cross-section of inverted M or sigma-shaped side members. Due to the fact that in the known connecting members a locking cavity is used for the location of the retaining heads, the supporting partition of the connecting member of the male type is provided at the tapered end of the projecting portion thereof and the connecting rod section is very reduced. Despite the large dimensions of the connecting members, the forces which can be transmitted by the connecting rod are relatively small. In addition, the special shapes of the different locking and locating cavities make manufacture difficult. Due to the fact that in the known case, one of the retaining flanges of the connecting rod can be axially forced against the axial locking means of the same rod, the latter or the locking means can be damaged so that the separation of two adjacent tubs becomes very difficult or even impossible.